Somebody ... please ... Tell me exactly HOW this could happen in BRITAIN, of all places ... ? They BAN private ownership of handguns. Have for years. Against the law, don'tcha know ... So HOW did this guy even GET the gun to do this ... ? The point being: If OTHERS had ALSO been armed (say 'concealed carry permit'), his little adventure in the Human Shooting Gallery could have been cut short by the presence of an ARMED CITIZEN ... This is just one more reason why gun control is NEVER a good idea ...

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jun/02/gunman-sought-person-shot-dead-whitehaven

Twelve killed in Cumbria shooting spree

James Meikle and agencies | guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 2 June 2010 16.18 BST

Twelve people have been killed and another 25 wounded after a gunman drove across Cumbria shooting victims in several different locations, before taking his own life.

Police said they were investigating 30 separate crime scenes after taxi driver Derrick Bird, 52, attacked another man in Whitehaven and then embarked upon an apparently random shooting spree in the area.

The Queen tonight said she was "deeply shocked" by the shootings in Cumbria and shared the country's "grief and horror".

In a statement, police confirmed that Bird shot 12 people before killing himself. Another 25 people were wounded, three of those critically and five severely.

The first shooting was reported at 10.35am in the port of Whitehaven. Other incidents followed in Egremont and Seascale as police warned the public to stay indoors.

A manhunt took place for three hours as officers attempted to track down Bird as reports emerged of shootings in nearby locations.

Wut's the forgotten term?

When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.

If one or two of those folks killed had been packin' there might not be so many dead.

I'm inclined to agree. Now if my knowledge is correct Rome was invaded, in part, towards the end of her existence because the citizens no longer were allowed to own weapons. The Nordic tribes easily moved in. The Founders of the U.S. wanted the citizenry to own arms because it was one of many checks against the government, a discouragement among many others designed by the Founders to prevent a tyranny from evolving. The gov't must fear the people, not vice versa.

No, we don't want people impulsively waving firearms around, but at the same time we must not be defenseless. Seeing that commercial for ADT Security or whatever it is of the woman running with her daughter away from a break-in angers me. She's so helpless in her own home. My first thought was to empower the woman to blow the invading SOB away.

I just wanna know where he GOT the piece ... If ALL guns are BANNED from private ownership, well, THIS shouldn't have happened, right ... ? But it DID ... so - where'd he get it? It ain't like he could go to a gun show or a gun shop like we can here ... how'd he get around the 'ban' ... ? Let's see how long it takes 'em to make the 'ban' even MORE restrictive ... it worked so well in THIS case ...

Even if guns are outlawed, gun parts are not. The literature on how to assemble homemade weapons is also legal.

Or he just bought it from a guy in trench coat. Equally likely. They didn't say what type of gun was used.

They need to get rid of those Bobbies and get them a few Bubbas.

Hummm it is no different then when anything is illegal they get smuggles in and sold within the black market.........shshsh does not take a rocket scientist to figure that one out.........If something is wanted bad enough someone can get it for them if they have the money...........